UN Conference on Small Island Developing States

2014 | The International Year of Small Island Developing States

UN Conference on Small Island Developing States

Apia Samoa 1-4 September | 2014

2014 is the International Year of Small Island Developing States. The symbolic appreciation celebrates the contributions that this group of countries has made to the world. Small island developing states are home to vibrant and distinct cultures, diversity and heritage.

The event also acknowledges that the people of Small Island Developing States are also at the forefront of efforts to addressing pressing global issues through ingenuity, innovation and use of traditional knowledge.

The challenges facing the small island developing States are challenges that confront us all, and they are determined to work with all countries to find solutions that will ensure a brighter future for generations to come.

The Year will also help raise awareness of the UN Conference on Small Island Developing States, which will be held in September in Apia, Samoa, and will focus on building partnerships for sustainable development.

The Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States

The Conference will be held from 1 to 4 September 2014 in Apia, Samoa, to be preceded by activities related to the conference from 28 to 30 August 2014, also in Apia, Samoa. It will focus the world’s attention on a group of countries that remain a special case for sustainable development in view of their unique and particular vulnerabilities.

The overarching theme of the Third International Conference on Small Island Developing States is "The sustainable development of small island developing States through genuine and durable partnerships".

The Conference will seek to achieve the following objectives:

1. assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation;

1. seek a renewed political commitment by focusing on practical and pragmatic actions for further implementation;

1. identify new and emerging challenges and opportunities for the sustainable development of SIDS and means of addressing them; and

1. identify priorities for the sustainable development of SIDS to be considered in the elaboration of the post-2015 UN development agenda.

The United Nations General Assembly resolution called for "a concise, focused, forward-looking and action-oriented political document.".

Youth Forum:

Stay tuned for further information about the Youth Forum at the SIDS Conference on the 28^th of August. At this stage the committee are still working on the conference. You can find some information about the Youth Forum for the SIDs Conference through this link. 

http://www.sids2014.org/index.php?menu=1568

At this stage the Conference and committee are relatively closed and difficult to reach. Perhaps due to a heavy workload they do not have a general inquiries or ‘contact us’ section on their website. Equal Student Exchange (ESE) has made efforts to contact them to ask about Youth participation in the youth forum. Stay tuned to this space for more information as it comes in. 

For more information visit:

General information about SIDS

http://www.sidsnet.org/

The year of Small Island Developing States

http://www.un.org/en/events/islands2014/#&panel1-1 

A United Nations Sustainable Development Journal - SIDS

http://www.sidsnet.org/news/united-nations-sustainable-development-journal-sids

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